Ski pole



Patented May 9, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE SKI POLE poration of Michigan Application September 16, 1938, Serial No. 230,216

6 Claims.

The ski pole'of the present invention preferably employs a tubular metallic shaft having mounted thereon at its lower end a ring shaped shoe for Contact with the snow asrequired inv devices of this character. In securing the shoe to the shaft, it is necessary to construct the shoe in such a way that it will present the necessary surface for contact with the snow, and` at the same time permit universal flexation between the shaft and the shoe so that the shaft may assumeany angular position required while the shoe presses firmly and evenly against the snow surface.

The present invention is particularly directed to the formation and method of attachment of the spoke-like leather thongs or straps which eX- tend radially from the shaft to the rim of the shoe and to the method of anchoring the same against displacement, while at the same time permitting the shoe as a whole to freely assume the necessary angular relation to the axis of the shaft. A further object of the invention is to attain these results without the employment of any rivets or other attaching means which pierce through the body of the shaft and which if present would serve to initially weaken the shaft, and whenl worn, impair the connection and permit the entrance of moisture into the interior.

Further objects and details will appear from a description of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a ski pole embodying the features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the shoe showing one foirn of construction;

Fig. 3 is a detail of one of the anchoring straps;

Fig. i is a detail of one of the radial thongs;

Fig. 5 is a perspective detail of the tubular sleeve upon which the thongs are mounted;

Figs. 6, 7, and. 8 are sectional elevations illustrating progressively the method employed in anchoring the thongs upon the shaft;

Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation illustrating in detail the connection between the shoe and shaft;

Fig. 10 is a sectional detail illustrating the method of connecting the outer ends of the thongs to the ring of the shoe; and

Fig. ll is a modified form of anchoring strap.

The ski pole comprises a shaft preferably of drawn metallic seamless tubing, which may be tapered throughout as shown in Fig. l, or may be tapered merely at or near the lower end upon which the ring shoe is mounted. The shoe in general comprises a ring 2i of tubular metallic formation which, as shown, is circular in cross section, although it might be ovate or flattened if desired. The shoe ring serves as a mounting for a plurality of cross thongs 22 each of which is formed of tough leather such as buckskin or rawhide, and of a length substantially equal to the inner diameter of the shoe ring, although material other than leather may be used.

Each of the thongs in its center portion is provided with a slit 23 of sufiicient length to permit the center portion of the thong to be spread or opened out to the extent necessary to embrace the shaft. As shown, three thongs are employed which afford six radiating spokes symmetrically arranged upon the shaft as an aXis. The outer ends of the thongs are secured by rivets 24 to clips 25 which embrace the shoe ring at equidis tant intervals around the periphery thereof. The thongs when assembled overlap one another at the center point, but being relatively thin all lie substantially within the plane of the shoe ring and afford sufficient surface area to provide the necessary grip on the surface of the snow.

The slit center portions of the assembled thongs are mounted upon a tubular collar 2S provided with a flange 2l at its lower end, which collar is preferably slightly tapered downwardly to conform to the taper of the lower end of the shaft, so that when mounting the collar upon the shaft a tight wedging t will be afforded which will locate the co-llar a relatively short ydistance above the lower terminus of the shaft, which shaft affords a blunt point or spike for engagement with rocks, ice, or other surfaces, and which if desired may be shod with a pointed tip, not shown, or finished in any other desirable manner.

With the associated thongs closely overlapped in the manner stated, they may be anchored against displacement in the manner illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. The anchorage is effected by the employment of anchoring straps 28, which may be of the double-ended form shown in Fig. 3, or by straps 2Sa of the triple-ended form as shown in Fig. 11. The anchoring straps at their outer ends are provided with apertures 23, which may be two in number as in Fig. 3, or with apertures 29a when three in number are used as in Fig. 11. The apertures are of a size to snugly engage the lower end of the shaft, and in addition thereto each double-ended anchoring strap is provided with a center aperture 3S of a size to closely engage the wall of the sleeve 26. A similar center aperture 30a is provided in each triple-ended strap, as shown in Fig. 1l.

In mounting the shoe upon the shaft, the sleeve is first entered through overlying slits in the three thongs until the thongs are brought into close register with the flange 21 at the lower end of the sleeve. Thereafter, the anchoring strap or straps are mounted upon the upper end of the sleeve as in Fig. 6, and the ends of the straps are fiexed downwardly through the proximate slits in the thongs as in Fig. 7. The shoe unit including the sleeve is now ready for mounting upon the shaft, which is done by slipping the sleeve upon the lower end of the shaft and drawing in the free ends of the anchoring straps to the center and passing the apertures 29, or 29a, as the case may be, over the lower end of the shaft, which is possible while the parts are retained in this position. After the anchoring straps have thus been mounted upon the shaft, the entire assembly is drawn upwardly as in Fig. 9 until the sleeve wedges tightly upon the shaft, so that further upward longitudinal movement is impossible and displacement can be effected only by driving the sleeve downwardly to release the wedging action.

In using the double-ended anchoring strap of Fig, 3, it is necessary to employ at least two of the straps in overlapping relation, in which case the ends of each strap will be entered through the slit in one of the thongs and will overlie the adjacent outer edges of the other two thongs, In using the triple-ended form of anchoring strap shown in Fig. ll, provision is made for entering one of the three arms through the slit in each of the three thongs, so that a single strap only is required with its three ends in overlapping relation on the under side of the sleeve 26.

In either of the forms of anchorage illustrated, provision is made for holding the shoe as a whole against longitudinal movement upon the shaft and particularly against longitudinal movement in the upward direction, so that a firm anchorage will be afforded for applying the necessary pressure against the surface of the snow to enable the user to assist his forward advance or to steady himself when required and irrespective of the angular position assumed by the shaft of the ski pole. Provision is thus made for permitting practically universal angular adjustment of the shoe to the shaft, since the leather thongs will readily flex to the required degree without displacing or impairing the anchorage of the shoe as a whole upon the shaft.

The method 'of construction and assembly is one which obviates the use of all bolts, rivets or the like, which pierce the shaft, and relies entirely upon a wedging fit to afford the necessary connection. At the same time the thongs are spread outwardly in flatwise relation so that they present their full surface for contact with the surface of the snow, and are not bent, twisted, or otherwise distorted at the center point to afford the required connection,l which is objectionable from every standpoint, since it not only reduces the effective surface exposure but also imparts bends, twists, or distortions in the leather, which it is desirable to avoid.

The ski pole of the present invention is extremely simple in construction and in ease of manufacture and assembly, and is not readily subject to deterioration or impairment in use, since the thongs lie smoothly and evenly in flatwise relation to one another at the center, which brings them within the plane of the shoe ring, so that the proper exation in any direction can occur without centering any excessive distortional strains upon one or more of the thongs during the angling of the shoe in whatsoever direction the angling effect is imposed.

Although the invention has been described as one involving the use of steel tubing for the shaft and for the ring, it will be understood, of course, that the method of forming and anchoring the shoe thongs here described is applicable to ski poles formed of wood, so that it is not the intention to limit the invention in respect to the character of the material employed.

It will also be understood that although the shoe as shown is of circular formation and employs a circular ring, it is not the intention to limit the invention to a circular shoe or a truly circular ring, since variations in contour may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a ski pole, the combination of a shaft and a shoe mounted thereon, the shoe comprising an outer ring and a plurality of flexible thongs having their outer ends secured to the ring, each of the thongs being provided at its center with an opening embracing the shaft, and an anchoring strap having a center aperture embracing the shaft on one side of the associated thongs and having its ends entered through the apertures in certain of the thongs and the ends being provided with apertures through which the shaft is entered on the opposite side of the associated thongs for anchoring the shoe as a whole upon the shaft.

2. In a ski pole, the combination of a shaft and a shoe mounted thereon, the shoe comprising an outer ring and a plurality of flexible thongs having their outer ends secured to the ring, each of the thongs being provided at its center with an opening embracing the shaft and the center portions of the respective thongs lying in flat lapping relation to one another, and an anchoring strap having a center aperture embracing the shaft on one side of the associated thongs and having its ends entered through the apertures in certain of the thongs and the ends being provided with apertures through which the shaft is entered on the opposite side of the associated thongs for anchoring the shoe as a whole upon the shaft.

3. In a ski pole, the combination of a shaft and a shoe, the shoe comprising an outer ring and a plurality of thongs extending diametrically thereof and provided with center apertures through which the shaft is entered, a tubular sleeve closely embracing the shaft and extending through the apertures in the thongs, and anchoring means having a center portion closely embracing the sleeve and end portions engaging certain of the thongs, said end portions being provided with apertures and overlapped and engaging the shaft on the opposite side of the associated thongs.

4. In a ski pole, the combination of a shaft and a shoe, the shoe comprising an outer ring and a plurality of thongs extending diametrically thereof and provided with center apertures through which the shaft is entered, a tubular sleeve closely embracing the shaft and extending through the aperture in the thongs, the center portions of the thongs overlying one another in flatwise relation, and anchoring means having a center portion closely embracing the sleeve and end portions engaging certain of the thongs, said end portions being provided with apertures and overlapped and engaging the shaft on the opposite side of the associated thongs.

5. In a ski pole, the combination of a shaft and a shoe, the Shaft being tapered at itsl lower end and the shoe comprising a ring and a cross thong having its ends secured to the ring and centrally engaging thel shaft and a sleeve having a Wedging t upon the tapered lower end portion of the shaft and centrally engaging the thongs, and an anchoring strap engaging the sleeve on one side of the thong and having a portion engaging the thong and having an aperture through which the shaft is entered for holding the anchoring strap in engagement with the opposite side of the thong for anchoring the shoe upon the shaft.

6. In a ski pole, the combination of a shaft and a shoe, the shoe comprising a ring and a cross thong having its ends secured to the ring and centrally engaging the shaft, and an anchoring strap having a portion thereof supported upon the shaft on one side of the thong and having a portion of the anchoring device engaging the thong and another portion provided With an aperture through which the shaft is entered for engaging the anchoring device on the opposite side of the thong and for anchoring the shoe upon the shaft.

JOSEPH MCARTHUR. 

